NAVIGATION CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13498, 27 May 1907, Page 7

NAVIGATION CONFERENCE.

IMPORT.* NT RESOLUTIONS CARRIED. [FROM OCR OWN" OOKR&SFONDENT.] . London-, April 12. The Colonial Maritime Conference was con* tinned on Friday and again this week, all the ' New Zealand delegate* being present at 1 every sitting, and it is stated that the results achieved have exceeded the expectation of the delegates, who express themselves gratified at the practical outcome of the Conference. Good progress Jws been, made upon points, of difficulty awl delay affecting colonial shipping services and seamen, and it is recognised that as a result of the discussions (some of the more important trouble! have. been smooth.*! out. ■■ - ..■ , ...'".■..;.. ■ In addition to the resolutions which 1 " seat you last, week, the' following h*T« been passed :-- Accommodation, rrovtstoa*. *nd Shir* AJr#*d* guilt: I hat tli« tiovenimem* of .Au»trali» and M'»' xealatid. instead of »t»po*in« new condition* involving nutciui.nl alteration* »* regard* cubic and >Mi|K'iHcial tpmie »ecomiimd;jtlf,>r( devoted to Mtlcera and crow on vr«*M* built prior to the enaft meat of ouch conditions, should require only such existing vessels an have .accommodation *lircn hi the opinion of the local authorities <» in fact Insanitary or untiralthfiil to amend the same so a.= to bring it into a oiiiif&r.v slid healthful condition 'to the satisfaction c! the local mithorities, Mr. IV, M. Hughe* (Amtt*l"wn labour) • and Mr. J. Ilavclock Wilson (British teamen) di»edited. .■'.;,.■ ~ , Hating: That no teaman thfjuld l* permitted to engage a* A.M. mi board any Bill bit ship who cannot show thai lie <» jiwtiy; entitled to thut rating', mid Mist the jveriod of service quallAcations elioukl be three years. Carried nun..ntously. ' Officers: That no person should l>o employed •* nu oilicer on . board any British ship ««ji*te»*d in Australia or New Zealand or engaging in .th* (routing trade of thono colonies alio i* not' a Brit!*!) subject and thoroughly conversant with the Kliglisl) language. ; The lmiwri.il delegate* abstained from Noting Ou this occasion. '. Other resolutions on the subject ot. manning and accommodation were passed, but provisionally; reserved for final eonsideration until' the question of what is meant by the - term coasting trade had been discussed. r . V ;V - On Monday, when the Conference held its fourth meeting, the delegate* discussed the classes of Voyages to which the eondi-. tiwis laid down by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand should be applicable. After a long discussion, the following resolution was carried unanimously:—' . ,'.-'■'.,.';' •■;:. That•■-(lie■;, vessel* to which the conditions Imposed by the law- of Australia or New- Zealand nrft . applicable should be (a) vr»i>el* registered In the colony while trading therein, and tb) vcswls •• i wherever registered while trading'or) tho <!oa.it.' of the colony; that ' for the purpose, of this i*e*olotion a vessel shall bo deemed to trade if ahc takes on board cargo or i>i»(»iiei)irei* at ony port.ln ; the colony tobecnirini'l to ami landed 'or delivered at any other port in the colony. < s A rider was proposed by Mr. Norma Hill, on behalf of the British shipowners (but w ; as not accepted' by the colonial de- ; legates), that, ." The Conference is of opinion that as si .; matter of expediency oversea .vessels which only engage in"tbe colonial coasting trade by taking passengers or cargo between; their colonial ports V of call should not ho deemed to engago in the coastal trade." , The following resolution was passed unanimously : A vessel engaged in the oversea trade *h*ll not. bo deemed to eiicujto-In the coasting trad* merelv - because It carriee between two Auatralian or New Zealand ports (a) |ias*enj:eri( holding throtiffh tickets to or froni aOnio oversea place, or (b) linerchandUtu consigned, oil through bill ol Iftdiiif to : Or from soino Oversea place. The Conference then proceeded to dis- » cuss the question of the limits • within which Australian and Now Zealand regulations as to wages, tire applicable, and the | meeting adjourned until next day. At its fifth sitting, the Conference resumed the discussion of the question of . the applicability of tho Australian and New ' Zealand rates of wages for seamen. Ultimately , the resolution of Sir Joseph Ward on the subject was withdrawn, /C; _V On the subject of manning, A resolution " ' was passed' io the following effect: — - No ship shall be deemed seaworthy unless she ' : is In <i tit state mto number and qualifleatitoi ' of crew, including: officers, to encounter the ordinary perils of the voyage then entered upon. ):

The following resolutions were a]*o passed ; — ' ' "* ' . Officer*: That it bo a recommendation to lift Board of Trade "In .any amending Act to consider the desirableness- of giving 'to master*. - mated, ■'-■:■.•" and engineers tho designation " officers" in the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act and it* rtftulntiono without prejudice to eny rights they enjoy ob seamen. .. ; ; , British .Seamen : That' every. possible encourageWent should be given by legislation or otherwise to tho employment of British te&itrim on British ship*, provided that this resolution does net <;on- "' template the Imposition of re*trlefive condition*, vOn the subject of bills .of hiding,' the New Zealand Premier proposed* the following resolution: — That the term* find conditions of the bill of lading at present in general use are in many respects unsatisfactory to shippers and consignee*, olid that in tho interest of traders generally it Is desirable that the Board of Trade should publish a ftfrm of bill of lading containing such reasonable conditions as, in its opinion, are sufficient to safeguard the rights of shipper, shipowner, and consignee. . , ■" .. . . Mr. Norman Hill, on' behalf of the British shipowners, submitted an amend- * ment in the following terms: — that, legislation restricting liberty of contract on charter parties and bills of lading i« unneces- | sary and undesirable, inasmuch a* the .ordinary - I forms of insurance upon goods having' been, adapted to meet the well-known exemptions' front liability for ; the : acts: and defaults of the ship- | owners' servants, protection against loss resulting .. [ therefrom can bo more cheaply obtained by the I shipper or consignee from the underwriter direct I than by forcing a liability upon the shipowner, and thereby increasing the freight. I This amendment was not accepted by : the colonial delegates. Sir Joseph Ward's resolution was adopted by the Australian' J and New Zealand delegates, the representatives of the Board of Trade and shipI owners dissenting. The Colonial Office representatives abstained from voting. ! ; , TJie following are resolutions which weft passed on April 4, but were held over pending a- discussion as to the meaning of the term " coasting ' trade ':*- ', . Accommodation for the Crew: That the ■ eniv ■•■ ditions imposed "by Australian or New Zealand .• '- law as regard* accommodation, ventilation* and : conveniences should only apply to vessel* -' rrgistered in those colonies or engaged in their waiting trade. ■ . _ ■ . .■■ -V. . Manning: That the 'conditions im|)oee4 by An* tralian or New Zealand law a» regafflj, lnall'rtlfif ■'.'■■ should only apply to Vessels registered, in thos« colonies or'cßguged in their coasting Uiiae. At the sixth meeting, held oh Wfidn**day, a discussion took place on the.conventions with regard to collisions and salvage drawn, up at Umbels in October» 1905, which the Australian Government had suggested should be considered at the Conference. No resolution was adopted, but Sir Joseph Ward and 'Sir William Lyne promised to communicate their 1 views before the close of ; the Conference. , A resolution wue proposed in opposition to the employment of Lascars, coolies, and Chinamen oh vessels owned, registered, or chartered to trade in the Commonwealth or New Zealand. After some dis- -' cufis-loil the resolution watt withdrawn, 'at the request of the Imperial delegates, who pointed out the tuidesirableness of passing a resolution which might be interpreted as a reflection upon British Indian, and other subjects. The colonial delegated pointed out that the withdrawal was not to he interpreted as affecting their right to legis- : late with regard to their coasting tradein this matter. ". The Board of Trade was urged to take into immediate consideration the question of improvement of the eyesight teste, and it Was declared that a current certificate by the Board as to efficiency of compasses shall have the Mine effect as local certifi* '■'■> cafes. '"';■'■ '",'. " : "*'.",.;■' '•'■.'■■'■.■ '•': It was proposed that it be a recommendation to the Board of Trade to suggest that legislation be■■ introduced whereby all seamen be paid two-thirds of their wages due at eviy port where the crew may. desite the wages to be ' paid. An amendment that the Conference approve the principle embodied in sections r 6l', 62, t aha"6? of tho Merahfttit'''Shipping Act With respect to the allotment and payment of seamen's wage:', w<is voted for by the Imperial delegation (including the representatives v..' British shipowners and seamen) and by Mr. D'dgald Thomson. The Australian delegates {with the exception of Mr. Thornson) and the New Zealand delegates pre kciJ"., dissented, and accepted, the original motion, ■. '.■' '^^-'t^':^:'^ '• = .'■■'' •".'•' ■y.'i-'-:.'->' : - •'■-'"..' : '.' "■'•' :